Beautiful Imperfection
by piper maru duchovny
Summary: She was the social outcast. He was the star of the scene. She swore she hated him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Two people so different couldn't possibly make sense, could they? - E/O AU
1. Chapter 1

**Believe me, I know just how cliched it is to write a high school fic but this idea entered my head and wouldn't leave me alone. That being said, I hope you enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

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**_Hey Jane, I got a little money,  
Want to spend it on a night away,  
We'll drive until tomorrow,  
Drive a mile for all our sorrows  
_-The Pink Spiders 'Hey Jane'**  
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A quarter til four o'clock in the afternoon and Olivia Benson is sitting in detention pretending to do her Chemistry homework. Her tangled brown waves escaping from the ponytail she had secured them in that morning, thighs sticking to the chair due to the late summer heatwave. Her leather jacket draped over her messenger bag that sits by her Converse clad feet and she wipes her hands on her denim cutoffs.

The heavy oak door at the front of the classroom swung open and in walked Elliot Stabler. The cranky librarian who had gotten stuck with detention duty looked up with an eye roll, "Mr. Stabler, detention begins promptly at three thirty, were you not aware of this?"

"No," He shrugged, walking down the aisle and nodding at Olivia, "I knew."

"Take a seat." The lady snapped before pushing up her glasses with her forefinger and turned back to her book, "Now."

"Ten bucks says that she's reading a Harlequin and thinking of Mr. Davies." Elliot whispered in Olivia's ear as he slid into the seat behind her. Olivia nearly gagged at the mental image of the old librarian and their principal together.

"Hush up and get someone else in trouble, Stabler." Olivia mumbled through gritted teeth as she turned back to her science textbook, rereading the same sentence for the sixth time. She knew Elliot Stabler through reputation and the two classes that they had together in the four year period. His notorious rap for being a playboy didn't escape her, so her guard was on high alert. She had, had enough trouble with boys to last a lifetime.

The silence lasted long enough for Olivia to finish her paragraph when a pencil jabbed her between the shoulder blades, "Got the notes from English?"

"No." Her left arm went behind her back and swatted at him.

"C'mon, Benson," His breath was hot against her neck, "help a friend out? I mean, since we're stuck in this John Hughes movie, you could at least attempt to be friendly."

"Not once in four years have you ever tried to be my friend, Elliot." She growled as she reached for her English folder, pulling out her notes and handing them to him.

"You're a life saver, Livia." She could practically feel his grin, "Consider us buds."

"Nice to know I'm of use." She rolled her eyes and went back to her scientific notation worksheet.

"Elliot, Olivia, unless you want detention all day Saturday, I suggest you quit the chit-chat." The librarian scolded them from the front of the room. Olivia glanced at the clock and pleaded with whatever deity reigned that Elliot would keep his mouth shut for the last ten minutes of their sentence.

Her prayers had been miraculously answered or, at least, Elliot took the threat of Saturday detention as strongly as she did. When the clock struck four, they stood from their desks. Olivia pulled at the Ramones shirt that was clinging to her back as she swung her messenger bag over her shoulder and folded her coat over her arm.

"So," Elliot walked beside her as they filed out of the classroom, "what could Saint Benson have done to get stuck in detention on a Friday afternoon?"

"I may be a girl, Stabler, but I have no qualms with making you fit in a locker." Olivia shot back as they approached the side door that let out to the student parking lot.

He grinned at her fiery reaction, "Sorry, Buddy, I was taking an interest!" He held up his hands in surrender, "My bad."

"Bite the big one, Elliot." She grinned, walking down the cement steps and heading diagonally across the parking lot to the street.

"Let me guess," He called out to her, "you got caught photocopying your butt!"

Olivia turned and walked backwards, facing him as she refused to show her amusement, "Get your head out of the John Hughes daze, Stabler."

"Where's the fun in that?" He called back, opening the door to his Chevy Celebrity and climbing in.

Waving at him, Olivia turned back around and continued her walk. She was halfway down the block when Elliot pulled his car alongside her and slowed down, rolling down his window, "What happened to your car?"

Olivia looked over at him and cocked an eyebrow, "I blew the belt and I won't have the money to fix it until my next paycheck."

She told him the half-truth with a cringe. She had blown the belt on her car and she would fix it when she got her paycheck, unfortunately it was stuck in her garage because her mother had decided that she needed alcohol and had confiscated her daughter's money for it. Elliot gave her a once over, "Get in."

"What?" She asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Get in," Elliot came to a stop and leaned over, opening the door, "please?"

Stepping off the curb, she ducked into the car and plopped her bag down by her feet as she stretched the seat belt across her chest, "What are you going to do if I yell kidnap?"

"Let you walk home with the sun bearing down on you." He fired back as if he was waiting for her to say those exact words, "Just tell me when to turn." He said, turning the radio on low as he navigated the Queens afternoon traffic.

Olivia drew her feet under her, sitting cross legged as the air conditioning cooled her skin. She hadn't expected Elliot Stabler to know her name, let alone show her any thing resembling kindness. Still, she had her reservations. After everything that had happened in her life, people were guilty until proven innocent and there were very few people who had proved that.

Elliot observed his passenger. It was no lie that Elliot Stabler had proved to be a bit of playboy, but there was something about Olivia that caught his eye. The way she articulated herself during Socratic Seminars, how she only ate fries for lunch, and the intensity that was found in her eyes. She hated his guts and that just made him crazier about her. She was unattainable, a challenge, but so much more. Her walls were crumbling to him, however, as he watched her stare out the window and hum with the White Stripes song.

"Here." She said as they pulled up to the corner of her street and his, "I can walk from here."

"Livia," His brow furrowed, "It's at least four more blocks."

"I can walk, Elliot." Olivia undid her belt and grabbed her bags, "Thanks for the ride, I owe you one."

Elliot chuckled, "No problem. It's actually on my way, I live just down there." He pointed towards the very end of the dead end street.

"Thanks anyways." She stood and swung her bag over her shoulder. As she closed her door, she turned back for a second, "I got five tardies by the way."

"What?"

"I was late to class for the fifth time because of my car breaking down." Olivia explained, "My Chem teacher is a real hardass, so I got detention."

"Rebel." He laughed, "See you later, Livia."

"Later, Elliot." She shut the door and sauntered off.

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"No," Olivia growled, her palms flat on the bright red counter, "_You_ are my new recruit? No way in hell, Stabler."

"Good afternoon to you too, Olivia." Elliot sighed, straightening his vest. His father had called in a favor and got him a job at the local theater, the one Olivia Benson just happened to have worked at for the past few years. Her resentment was evident as she glared at him across the counter. She blocked the entrance, "Are you gonna let me come back there and help you or not?"

"Or not." Her eyes narrowed, "Quit playing me, Elliot."

"I'm not playing you," He pointed to his name tag, "I work here."

It was just past three on Saturday and the theater was empty, save for an elderly couple who had brought their three bratty grandchildren for the matinee of the latest Disney film. This was not Olivia's day; she had only gotten a few hours of sleep before she woke up to her mother throwing up in the living room, found out she had left her Geometry folder in her locker, and now Elliot was encroaching on the one place she was free from harassment. Blowing her bangs from her face, she sighed, "Fine. I guess you can change the oil in the popcorn machine then."

"Whatever you say, Buddy." Elliot grinned and Olivia resisted the urge to kick him in the shin. Her eyes narrowed more as he yanked on a loose curl and her palm connected with his forearm, "Ow!" He rubbed the offended area, "Violence isn't the answer, Liv."

"It's Olivia!" She growled in frustration. Hot tears pooled in her eyes as the bad day caught up with her, swallowing the lump in her throat, she blinked them away.

"Whatever you say, Liv."

"I've got two words for you, Stabler," Her eyes narrowed more, "Screw and you."

"You wound me." He pouted as he dramatically placed his right hand over the left side of his chest, "It's broken, Meanie."

"You're seven!" She rolled her eyes.

Elliot laughed, "You're giving me a lot of credit if you think I'm as mature as a seven year old."

"Act your age, not your shoe size, Stabler." She elbowed him in the ribs.

Elliot's grin grew and he twirled a lock of the chocolate colored hair around his finger, "You're cute when you're aggravated."

"What?" Olivia jerked away from him.

He cleared his throat, "Weren't you going to show me how to change the oil in the popcorn machine?"

"Right."

The day passed slowly as visitors trickled in and out of the theater. Everyone was soaking up the last bit of summer weather and very few people made their way into the cinema. Olivia showed Elliot all the various things he needed to know about work and then they leaned against the counters, talking while they waited on customers. The sun was fading outside as they argued the finer points of superheroes.

"You cannot honestly like Spiderman better than Batman!" Elliot exclaimed, his jaw slacked and hands holding him up as he leaned on the counter.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "I do. Batman is so overrated! At least Spiderman has a legitimate superhero quality! All Batman has is a fast car and a utility belt. I could say the same thing about the super from my old place."

"Girls are crazy!" He glared at her playfully, "The Breakfast Club or Footloose."

"Please!" Olivia played with her long hair, "Footloose!"

"On what grounds?"

"One, far better cast – Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Penn. Two – better plot. Three – far more realistic. If we tried that shit in detention, we'd get expelled." She listed off, pacing as she ranted. Elliot watched her in amusement as she moved her hands when she talked. It was fun to get her fired up and watching her get passionate about something as insignificant as a movie.

The glass door to the lobby opened and in walked a young blond haired woman with a little girl on her hip. She smiled at Elliot and approached the counter, "Hey El."

"Hey, Kath." Elliot grinned, "Thanks for bringing her to me."

"Daddy!" The little girl reached for him and Olivia watched in shock as he lifted her over the counter.

"Hey, Baby." He kissed his daughter on top of her head.

"She's already been fed. Make sure she gets to sleep at a reasonable time." Kathy warned him, "Thanks for taking her, Elliot."

"She's my daughter, Kathy. It's my job, you don't have to thank me." He smiled, "Have a good time on your date."

"I will." She leaned over and pecked the two year old on the cheek, "Love you, Mo-Mo, be good for Daddy."

"Love you, Mama." She mumbled around her thumb, "See you 'morrow."

Kathy nodded at Olivia and Elliot, waving at their child before slipping back out the door she came from. Olivia stared at him in confusion and Elliot chuckled, pushing up on her lower jaw, "You're gaping. Olivia, this is my daughter, Maureen. Mo, this is daddy's friend, Olivia."

"Hi." Maureen waved with her slobber covered hand and wiggled from Elliot's arms. He placed her down on the floor and pulled down the pink shirt that had rode up on her belly.

Olivia crouched down in front of her, "Hi, Sweetheart. How old are you?"

"Two." She held up three of her saliva covered fingers.

"You're adorable." Olivia cooed and traced her finger over Maureen's nose. Maureen giggled and held her arms up to Olivia, who obliged immediately, standing and placing Maureen on her hip. Olivia's eyes found Elliot's, "I had no idea."

"We kept it quiet." Elliot explained, "She was born the summer after my freshman year and Kathy's sophomore." He reached out, running his hand through Maureen's messy curls. Her pudgy hands toyed with the chain around Olivia's neck while Olivia bounced her on instinct. Elliot watched in amazement, "She lives with Kathy in Manhattan. I get her on weekends and sometimes during the week when Kathy has a late class or date. That's why I got this job; so Munchkin will be taken care of."

"Wow," She breathed, "I... wow."

He shrugged, "I'm not proud of how she came into the world, but she's my entire life."

"My Daddy." Maureen mumbled around her thumb.

Elliot nodded, pulling her thumb from her mouth and kissing her cheek, "My Girl."

Olivia smiled as Maureen extended her arms as far as they would go, "M'ween loves Daddy dis much!"

"Daddy loves Maureen this much." Elliot extended his arms in a similar fashion.

Maureen gasped and turned her head to Olivia, "That's lots!"

"Yeah it is." Olivia nodded her agreement, her heart swelling at the scene playing out before her.

By the time their shifts had ended, Maureen was passed out behind the counter. Elliot's coat cushioning the tile floor and Olivia's working as a blanket, her head resting on Olivia's messenger bag. Clocking out, Elliot picked up Maureen and they headed to the parking lot. Olivia opened the doors for them.

"Your car still broke?" Elliot asked as he fastened Maureen into her car seat, tucking his coat around her like a blanket.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Get in."

This time their ride was silent, save for the little girl's slight snorting in the backseat. Olivia watched the night sky pass them overhead as her forehead rested against the passenger window. She picked at the rubber toe of her Converse as her eyes flicked between the sky and Elliot. His face was aglow with the lights emitting from his dashboard as he drove. For his part, Elliot drummed his fingers against the steering wheel in a silent and unknown rhythm.

Like the day before, Elliot pulled to a stop at the corner of their streets. Olivia climbed out and smiled at him before shutting the door. Sliding on her coat, she dug her hands into her pockets as she walked. Her mind wandered as she made her way home; thoughts of Elliot and Maureen clouded her thinking and as she entered her house. She let the feel of Maureen in her arms and the sound of Elliot's laughter shield her from the anger awaiting her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, so I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I'm really sucky at updating things in a timely manner. Anywho, I'm having surgery this Friday so that messes with updates. So, next chapter will be whenever I feel up to it. That being said, THANK YOU to all my friggen AMAZING reviewers. Ya'all rock. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

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_Annie, don't be shy here,  
Annie, please don't cry here,  
I always have to stop myself,  
Cause you're beautiful.  
_-Safetysuit's 'Annie';

The alarm rang well before Olivia Benson was ready and with Geometry homework incomplete and three tests laying before her, she didn't want to go to school. Tossing back the covers, she began to rifle through the clothes that littered the floor of her room before settling on a worn in pair of jeans and a long sleeve blue shirt. She was tying her second shoe when her mother, still half-drunk, opened the door and yelled at her for having a dirty room, "Clean it."

"I've gotta go to school!" Olivia yelled back. She was sick and tired of everything; her mother coming home drunk, her mother taking her aggravation out on her, trying to keep up with school and keep her home life from falling apart. If her mother was ever sober for more than the rare special occasion she would see that her daughter had no friends, went to no parties, and generally kept her head down.

Instead, Olivia growled at the empty room and tried to clean up the messy floor as quickly as she possibly could. Her car was in the shop and she had to hurry if she was going to walk to school on time. Shoving her books into her school bag, she swung it over her shoulder and rushed toward the door but her mother stood, blocking her path. Serena Benson was anything besides a nice drunk and her hand connected with Olivia's cheek, "You don't speak to your mother like that."

"Some mother you are." Olivia didn't even flinch as she shouldered past her mother and out the door.

The sun was rising over New York City and the city that never sleep was humming with life. Olivia kicked a stray Mountain Dew can as she walked down the street towards her school. Teachers were long past asking her how the bruises had been inflicted and, quite frankly, she didn't care who knew anymore. She was seventeen and in less than a year, she'd be off to college somewhere far away from her mother. Olivia Benson was through with living up to insane expectations; her mother would always finds faults because Olivia was the outcome of the worst thing she'd ever experienced, she'd never make her teachers happy, and she was done with trying to make everyone else happy when she was miserable.

"Livia?" Elliot Stabler pulled up alongside her in his old beater, "What happened to your face?"

"My mother." Olivia whispered and looked up at him through pain filled eyes. Elliot nodded his head toward the passenger seat and she sprinted around the car and climbed in. She buckled herself in and tossed her bag by her feet.

Elliot's fingers brushed the hair from her face and examined the bruise, "What happened?"

"Can you just drive?" She whispered, "I don't want to go to school, Elliot."

"Good." He forced a smile, "Me either. You can come with me on my mental health day."

"Your what?"

"Mental health day, Benson, did you never watch Ferris Bueller?" Elliot teased her and she gave a small smile as she rested her head against the cool window pane. Olivia didn't bother to ask where they were going but closed her eyes as he turned on the radio and a Pearl Jam's 'Daughter' filled the car. She hummed along with the melody as the city passed them by in a blur.

"Livia," He called her name a while later, waking her from her half-sleep daze. She blinked and looked over at him, "We're here."

"Where's here?" Olivia asked as she straightened herself and wiped the sleep from her eyes as she looked around at the beach that lay before them.

"Long Beach." Elliot explained as he pulled into the free parking space and turned the engine off, "Boardwalk, ocean, white sand, and unlike Coney Island, you don't have to worry about the white fish."

"That's sick." She rolled her eyes and undid her seat belt before climbing out of the car.

"That's true." Elliot shrugged and lead the way toward the beach. Olivia kicked off her shoes as Elliot paid their cover charge, "I used to come here with my siblings when they all lived at home."

"Aw," She tilted her head to the side, "are you the baby?"

"And the resident hell raiser." He nudged his hip against hers, "What about you, Olivia Benson, enigma to all, do you have any siblings?"

"Not to my knowledge." Olivia crossed her arms over her chest, "My dad's not exactly in the picture, so I don't really know."

He nodded before dropping to the sand and looking over at her, "Pop a squat, Livvy."

"Don't call me Livvy." She scolded as she fell down beside him, "My name is Olivia. If my mother wanted people to call me Livvy that's what she would have named me."

"And now you care what your mother wants?"

She tossed a handful of the white sand at him and he glared at her, "You asked for it, Stabler."

"You're gonna pay for it, Benson." Elliot reached for her as she got up and sprinted down the nearly abandoned beach. He got up and chased her down the beach before he finally caught up with her. Hooking an arm around her waist, he picked her up and carried her several feet into the surf before dropping her unceremoniously.

"You're a jerk." She surfaced, sopping wet as she pulled him into the water beside her.

"Thanks, Livia." He stood up, wiping the salt water from his eyes, "the money I was going to buy you lunch with is now soaking wet."

"Poor baby." She shoved her brown hair back from her face and rung out her shirt as best she could while walking back toward the beach. Sand caked to the ends of her jeans as she walked back down to their spot, but she didn't even care. She had found that tiny bit of freedom she had been searching for.

"Lets walk." Elliot suggested and headed back toward the road. Olivia followed him, her shoes hooked over her pointer and middle fingers of her right hand. The early October sun beat down on them; drying their clothes and burning their skin. He glanced over her and then looked ahead, "How long has your mom been doing stuff like that?"

"All my life." She whispered as she kicked a loose stone. There was something about Elliot that just made her believe that he could understand or that he wouldn't break her confidence. She had kept the secret for so long that even telling someone that much was like a weight lifting off her shoulders.

"My dad's like that too." Elliot explained, his hands resting in his damp pockets as they meandered along, "My Ma? She's sick in the head and won't get help... so my dad takes his anger out on me and my siblings."

"My Mom..." Olivia couldn't find the words and the lump in her throat made it all the harder as they took a seat on a bench by the sidewalk, "she was raped. That's why she had me."

"Olivia..."

"No," She shook her head, "it's okay. Really, Elliot. I've made my peace with it. Some bastard raped my mother and she got pregnant with me. Once she had me, she couldn't help but see my father in me and that's why she gets mad at me. I remind her of him and the fact that he never got caught. That's my life. I'm used to it."

"That was clinical." Elliot turned and sat cross-legged to observe her, "You said that entire bit without once mentioning how you feel about it. You see, my dad? I hate his guts. I may understand why he does it and I may understand why my mother is the way she is, but that doesn't take the feelings away."

"What are you, a shrink?" Olivia rolled her eyes, "It's easier to be detached. There's no use in whining about it. What's getting all worked up going to change?"

"It might not change anything but at least you get it out of your head." Elliot offered, "Look, I don't want to piss you off.. I'm just saying that I understand... if you ever want to talk or anything."

"I appreciate that." She gave him a small smile, "Didn't you mention food?"

"Right!" He stood up and waited for her to join him as they continued on their trek, "There's a gas station down here. They have the world's crappiest pizza but they do have soda in the glass bottles. It's a win/lose."

"I'll take it."

The walk continued in silence as they entered the establishment and Olivia grew cold in the air conditioned space. They grabbed a couple of mini-pizzas and the glass bottled carbonated beverages before paying and creating a picnic on the sidewalk in front of the ice cooler that sat on the sidewalk.

"So," Elliot polished off his pizza and stretched out looking at the sky, "We successfully skipped school together, frolicked in the water, and discussed our crappy parents. Are we friends yet?"

Olivia smirked, "Well, I'll at least rethink what I said about shoving you in your locker."

"What more can I ask for?"


End file.
